Apparatus for setting fasteners



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,550,916

I w. c. J. MILLER ET AL APPARATUS FOR SETTING FASTENERS Filed Nov. 17. 1922 jnvenzons: m QM GM oqzhfbrneya Ni /ill bill HNLZ,

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. J. MILLER AND VINCENT P. RUMELY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR SETTING FASTENERS.

Application filed November 17, 1922. Serial No.- 601,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C. J. MILLER and VINCENT P. RUMELY, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Setting Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the setting of eyelets, grommets, and other fasteners in fabric by forcing a portion of the fastener through the fabric from one side and clinching such portion upon the opposite side by means of cooperating dies.

In setting such fasteners it is necessary to punch a hole in the fabric, either for the purpose of receiving the shank of the fastener, as in the case of eyelets, grommets, etc., or to receive a stud or other portion on a cooperating fastener member, as in the case of snap fasteners, or for both purposes. In order that such a hole may be formed at the same stroke of the machine which sets the fastener, it has been proposed to provide one of the setting dies with a suitable punch which will, as the dies are closed to set a fastener, punch the fabric prior to or substantially simultaneously with the setting operation. With such an arrangement, it is necessary that the punch be so arranged as to extend or pass through the opening of the fastener, either when the latter is placed upon the setting die arranged to receive it or during the closing of the dies. This necessity raises a difficulty in the practical operation of devices of this type. For example, in the case of an eyelet or grommet, the punch can be of no greater diameter than the interior of the tubular shank of such eyelet or grommet, whereas the hole in the fabric, through which said shank must pass, and which is formed by the punch, should be at least equal in diameter to the exterior of said shank. Also, in the setting of snap fasteners, some provision must be made for taking care of the usual yielding holding members of such fasteners, which holding members normally extend into the openings in the fasteners, so that a punch cannot be passed through such an opening without shearing off the holding members, unless they are moved out of the Way or some other provision made to prevent the punch elements from closing upon them during the combined operation.

The present invention has for its object to overcome the above difficulties by the employment of a novel method hereinafter explained, and also to provide, in connection with the cooperating setting dies of a device of the character above referred to, punch elements so constructed and arranged as to punch a hole of greater diameter than the diameter of the cooperating cutting edges of said elements, and to provide punch elements which can be associated with dies for setting snap fasteners and which are of such a character as to facilitate the application of the fastener elements to the setting dies and their retention thereon, as well as to avoid injury to the holding members of the fasteners either prior to or during the punching and setting operation.

The more particular objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of the construction and operation of certain mechanisms illustrated in the accompanylng drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular operations described and constructions shown have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practised without departure from its spirit or scope.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of a pair of cooperating grommet setting dies having associated therewith punch elements constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction and arrangement adapted to the purpose of setting snap fasteners.

Figs. 8, 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the punch elements.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of the fastener which the dies shown in Figure 2 are adapted to set.

In Figurel are shown upper and lower grommet setting dies 15 and 16, respectively. The lower or holding die 16 is formed with a surface 17 shaped to receive and hold the flange of a grommet 18 with its shank suitably centered. The upper or clinching die 15 is provided with dogs 19 to hold a punching and setting washer 20 and is formed with an annular surface 21 to clinch the shank of the grommet 18 upon the washer 20 when said shank has been inserted through a hole in the fabric 22 and through the opening in said washer, in accordance with the usual and well-known operation of devices of this character. The mechanism for supporting and operating the setting dies 15 and 16 is not shown herein, as it may be of any of the usual types well known in the art. For punching the holes in the fabric to receive the shanks of the grommets 18, the setting dies 15 and 16 are provided with cooperating punch elements comprising, in the construction shown in Figure 1, a punch 23 carried by the lower die 16 and a cooperat ing punch die 2st carried by the upper die 15.. said punch elements being disposed coaxially with the supporting and clinching surfaces of said dies. The punch 23 is carried an axial opening in the die 16, said punch being in threaded engagement with opening so as to permit longitudinal I, cut thereof, and is passed through t -e shanks of the grommets 18 when the lata1 placed in position on the receiving or holding surface 17 of the die. The punch die is received in a threaded opening in the upper die and extends axially through tapered extension 25 with which a'd are is provided for the purpose of enand s reading the shank of the gromiet after it has been passed through the prior to the clinching operation, in devices of this character. The he's in the clinching die 15 which receives 1e punch die 24 terminates in an opening through which the pieces removed from bric by the punch are discharged.

' are thus arran ed to enter the shanks of the grommets, a l are therefore of somewhat smaller diameter than said shanks, said punch elements must nevertheless form in the fabric 22 a hole of sufficient size to receive said shanks. In accordance, therefore, with the present invention, one of said punch elements, herein the punch 23, is formed with a projection in the form of a conical end 26 adapted to cup the fabric 22 in the setting die 24?, as shown at 27, just prior to the punching operation, thereby enabling said punch elements to remove a piece of fabric of greater diameter than the diameter of the cooperating edges of said elements, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The dies shown in Figure 2 are designed to set fasteners of the so-called Lift-thedot type, shown in detail in Figures 6 to 8. Each of said fasteners comprises a body 28 having a cover 29 initially and permanently assembled therewith, and a washer 30 by which said fastener is secured to the fabric, said parts being all provided with coaxial openings 31 to register with a hole in the fabric and to receive a stud member ofacoopcrating fastener, which stud member is en gaged by yielding holding members 132 in the form of springs located between the body 28 and cover 29. Said two last-named parts are secured together by means of prongs 32 on the body 28 which extend through openings in the cover 29 and are clinched on the opposite side of the latter. The washer 30 is secured to the fastener, when the latter is set in the fabric, by means of prongs 33 which project from the cover 29 and are pressed through the fabric and through slots 34 in the washer 30 and finally clinched over on the outer side of the latter. Said washer 30 is further provided with recesses or indentations 35 to register with the clinched prongs 32, thereby pinching the fabric between them and securely holding the same.

The upper die 150, shown in Figure 2, is formed with a surface 17 O shaped substantially to fit one of the fasteners 28, 29 last de scribed, while the lower die 160 is provided with a spring supported holder 190 for the washer 30. Said lower die 160 is further formed with a clinching surface 210 upon which the prongs 33 are bent over or clinched after passing through the fabric 22 and the slots 34: in the washer 30, the holder 190 yielding as the dies are closed for this purpose. For punching the hole in the fabric to register with the opening 31 in the fastener, the upper or holding die 150 is provided with an axially disposed punch 23 which cooperates with a coaxially disposed punch die 2et carried by the lower or clinching die 160, said punch die being supported in adjusted position in said clinching die by means of a sleeve 36 in threaded engagement with an axial opening in said die. The punch 23 is formed with a conical end 26 which, when the fastener is placed upon the holding die 150-, passes through opening 31 in said fastener and spreads apart the springs 132, said punch having also adjacent the receiving surface 170 of the setting die 150 a groove 37 to receive said springs, thereby holding the fastener in place upon the die until it has been set.

The operation of the punch elements shown in Figures 1 and 2 in punching in the fabric 22 holes greater than the diameter of the cooperating edges of said elements is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. As shown in said figures, the punch 23 is formed with a conical end 26 at the junction of which with the body of the punch is formed an annular edge 10 which cooperates with the annular edge 41 on the punch die 2 1 to shear the fabric 22 in such a manner as to punch a hole 42 in the same. Prior to this operation, however, but as the punch elements are brought together, the conical end 26 of the punch 23 engages the fabric 22 and cups W ET SET!" HQ,

the same in the punch die 24, taking up a circular piece of fabric 27 Whose radius is equal to the slant height of the cone 26, which, in turn, is greater than the radiusof the base of said cone, namely the cutting edge 40. As the punch 23 enters the punch die 24, as shoWn in Figure 4, the piece 27 is punched or cut out to form a hole L2, Which, When the fabric is flattened out Will be of the radius above referred to, and con sequently of a. diameter greater than that of the punch 23 and the opening in the punch die 24, as indicated by the broken projection lines between Figures 4 and 5.

The method above described is not claimed herein, being covered by the claims of a di visional application filed July 10, 1923, Serial No. 650,609.

Having thus described our invention, We claim 1. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, punch elements associated therewith having cooperat ing edges for cutting holes in the fabric at points Where fasteners are set by said dies, and means for causing said punch elements to cut holes of greater diameter than the diameter of said cooperating cutting edges.

2. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, punch elements comprising a punch and a cooperating punch die carried by said setting dies 'respectively having cooperating edges for cutting holes in the fabric at points Where fasteners are set by said setting dies, and means for causing said punch elements to out holes of greater diameter than the di ameter of said cooperating cutting edges.

3. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, punch elements associated With said dies and having means for cutting holes in the fabric at points Where fasteners are set by said dies, and a projection on one of said punch ele ments to cup the fabric at the point Where it is out prior to each cutting operation.

4. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, punch elements comprising a punch and a cooperating punch die carried by said setting dies respectively for punching holes in the fabric by cutting out portions of the latter at points Where fasteners are set by said setting dies, and a projection on one of said punch elements to cup the fabric at the point Where it is punched prior to each punching operation.

5. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies formed re spectively to hold fasteners and to clinch the same about holes in the fabric, punch elements for punching said holes by cutting out portions of the fabric as said dies are closed and prior to the setting operation thereof, said punch elements comprising a punch carried by said fastener holding die and arranged to extend through a fastener thereon and a cooperating punch die carried by said clinching die, and a projection on one of said punch elements to cup the fabric at the point Where it is punched prior to each punching operation.

6. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, a punch and a cooperating punch die associated With said setting dies for punching holes in the fabric by cutting out portions of the latter at points Where fasteners are set, and a projection on said punch to cup the fabric at the point Where it is punched prior to each punching operation.

7. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies formed respectively to hold fasteners and to clinch the same about holes in the fabric, a punch carried by said fastener holding die and arranged to extend through a fastener thereon, a punch die carried by said clinching die and cooperating With said punch to cut out portions of the fabric, and a projection on said punch to cup the fabric in said punch die prior to the cutting operation.

8. In a device for setting fasteners in fabric, cooperating setting dies, a punch and a punch die associated With said setting dies respectively and having cooperative means for punching holes in the fabric by cutting out portions of the latter at points Where fasteners are set, and a substantially conical end on said punch.

9. In a device for setting in fabric fasteners having openings and holding members in said openings, cooperating setting dies formed respectively to hold said fasteners and to clinch the same about holes in the fabric, punch elements for punching said holes as said dies are closed and prior to the setting operation thereof, said punch elements comprising a punch carried by said fastener holding die and arranged to enter the opening therein and project beyond said holding members and a cooperating punch die carried by said clinching die, and means for causing said punch elements to punch holes of greater diameter than the diameter of the cooperating edges of said elements.

10. In a device for setting in fabric fas teners having openings and resilient holding members in said openings, cooperating setting dies, punch elements carried thereby, said punch elements having means for cutting out portions of the fabric to form holes therein as said dies are closed and prior to the setting operation thereof, and means for spreading said holding members apart to prevent shearing thereof during the combined cutting and setting operation of said device.

11. In a device for setting in fabric fasteners having openings and resilient holding teners, a cooperating punch die cag/ied by the other of said setting dies, and asubstam tially conical end on said punch for spreading said holding members apart.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

WILLIAM C. J. MILLER. VINCENT P. RUMELY. 

